RMIT Partners with WWCCA for Algal Biofuels

s part of a major biofuel project directed by RMIT’s Professor Andy Ball, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University has signed a multi-million dollar venture capital funded partnership with World Wide Carbon Credits Australia (WWCC) to develop an algae-based biofuel at a commercial scale, reports 4-traders.com.

“Through this project and our collaboration with WWCC, we hope to develop processes using biotechnology techniques that will make large-scale production and harvesting of algae for biofuels commercially viable,” said Professor Ball, a Professor in Environmental Microbiology in the School of Applied Sciences.

Toby Jones, spokesperson for WWCC, said the partnership was a fantastic example of collaboration between business and universities. “We are very excited about the potential of the research being undertaken to produce renewable, high-quality, long chain hydrocarbons, which will initially have high-value applications in the chemical, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries,” he said.

“This research could provide a key example of how Australia could be much more self-sustaining with its fuel sources. It is also hoped that the collaboration between RMIT and WWCC will lead to longer-term solutions that can create a fuel security for Australia,” Jones added.